Students' Ideas Regarding Science and Pseudo-science

This study investigates the pseudo-scientific and superstitious ideas Swedish upper-secondary studentsarticulate and if there is a relationship between their ideas and their knowledge of the human bodyand health. The study is based on a questionnaire among 300 students in which the students wereasked to consider statements related to different treatments that may influence the human body andhealth, and questions about physiology, health and nutrition. The analysis reveals that a relativelylarge group of students give credance to statements such as that some people can transfer thoughtsor that the phases of the moon can affect a person’s health. The analysis also shows that there is noapparent relationship between the students’ pseudo-scientific beliefs and their scientific knowledgeabout the human body. Furthermore, although the results do not indicate a gender difference with regardsto the power of faith in pseudo-scientific ideas, they do indicate that male and females considerthese questions differently. The results imply a need for discussion and critical investigation in schoolscience concerning the relationship between science and pseudo-scientific ideas in order to enhancecritical thinking and development of the understanding of the nature of science